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Don’t hold your breath for a mid-size Ram pickup.
15 Comments on “While You Were Sleeping: April 6th, 2015...”
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I think Mercedes will find that a luxury Midsize isn’t worth the investment in the US. Midsize trucks are overwhelmingly seen as a “couldn’t afford the real thing” type vehicle. (Regardless of how one feels about them, also ignoring they tend to cost the same or more than the fullsize) That’s not to say there isn’t money to be made, but getting 50k for a cramped pickup shouldn’t be the goal.
On the other hand however, the massive love of compact luxury cars may prove me wrong, some people want a badge even if they’re stuck in a compact, or possibly the inferior product.
While a mid-sizer makes no sense Mercedes, it makes a ton of sense for Dodge (or RAM, or whatever they want to be called this week). My Dakota will hit 100K on the way home from work tonight… so its heading down hill and will require replacement. What are my current choices? If Dodge doesn’t offer one who will? I agree with the linked article: the only thing that makes sense (business wise) for mid-sizers is 35 MPG and a lower price. Both of which are difficult to pull off when you’ve gotten people (and profits) used to full sizers at $40K with huge engines.
If you want a replacement for your Dakota, you’ll have to wait for the Wrangler-based pickup. It’ll be a compact, but check the specs on your Dakota and compare to a ’55 Ford or Chevy: that Dakota was full sized at one time, and a Wrangler pickup won’t be much smaller than a ’55 Ford.
JMII, if you are considering a replacement for your Dakota, the closest in physical size would be new midsize trucks from GM.
However, you may want to cons!der this: a friend of mine who works for the VA Medical Center owns a V8 Dakota and he intends to keep it running long after the wheels fall off.
He recently had it repainted in the original Blue, and he replaced the carpeting and seat covering himself. Four new shocks he installed in his drive-way, four new tires from Discount Tire, and he’s a happy camper for the next few years.
He told me it was cheaper than buying a new truck and his liability insurance costs him $60 every six months.
The Dakota is his daily driver but he owns other vehicles as well.
How do pro-business/anti-regulation politicians justify this Tesla ruling?
There’s a huge ideological gulf between pro-business and pro-market.
That people will violate their ideology for the right price is hardly a new phenomenon.
It’s the same hair-splitting and cognitive dissonance that allows someone to be adamantly concerned with a human life right up until the time it’s born but not a second longer.
OK, no mid sizer for RAM, what about a nice FWD mini truck for RAM instead?
Yes please! Take a Cruze LS with the 1.8L, chop off the back, and you’re all set! Maybe replace the rear torsion beam setup with a leaf sprung beam. or something based around the Nissan NV200, which has the previous generation Sentra’s drivetrain (2.0L 4 cylinder).
GM/Chevrolet already has a mini pickup based on an Opel chassis IIRC, called the Montana. Similar to the Strada pickup shown, as they compete with each other in Central and South American markets.
The Fiat Strada pictured above is a small pickup, not a midsize.
Damn. So the ten West Virginians who can actually afford to own a Tesla will be forced to travel out of state to buy one.
He is correct.
“He said that in the 1980s, the heyday of midsize pickups, customers bought pickups that had less capability than full-size pickups, but were considerably smaller, less expensive and “had incredible fuel economy.”
“When you look at those four factors, that’s truly what a midsize pickup customer is looking for,” Hegbloom said in an interview at the auto show here. “I’ve been able to develop a strategy to come up with three of the four — and even with what’s out there on the market today, I haven’t seen anyone who can deliver on all four.”
They’d have to make something similar to the Ram Promaster City, but with a box instead of the van rear. Would anyone buy it?
Might argue that “considerably smaller” isn’t a mid-size truck. Many have mentioned bringing the Fiat Strada over. That should make for all 4 points, maybe not “incredible milage”, but I don’t think his 35mpg is what people who want a small truck are after. If it could match what the compact CUV are doing, I think the market will accept it.